Managers and leaders exist in all organizations, with some leaders also serving as managers, but generally with separate individuals filling separate roles. Government organizations have undergone some change in recent years, with an emphasis on downsizing and eliminating middle managers. This means that managers who remain in the organization are faced with changing organizational structure, changing responsibilities, and a challenge to create an environment which can accommodate the highly diverse needs of a dynamic workforce. This research examines traditional types of organizations and leadership styles, considers new developments in both of these areas, and offers observations on what government organizations might look like in the future, and what effective managers, including elected officials, might do to become better leaders.
Traditionally, successful organizations have a combination of leaders and managers at each level. Leaders provide the vision and the overall mission that the organization strives to achieve, while managers administrate the day-to-day activities that help achieve the vision. Organizations cannot long survive without both leaders and managers: organizations without leaders lack the vision for long-term success; organizations lacking managers do not have the infrastructure necessary for the discipline to achieve the leader's vision. Leaders guide organizations in new directions while managers set forth the policies which solidify those changes. It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine whether leaders or managers are more important to an organization's development; instead, both are necessary components to a successful organization.
Today's managers have a more complex role than managers of previous eras. They must balance a highly regulated work environment with the needs of a diverse group of workers, many of whom have conflicting personal and career goals. Added to this is the high...